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But the intimate portrait of the man through just a narrow episode towards the end of his Presidency is what stands out. Biopics of this nature are almost impossible to pull off (the actor or the figure are too well known and audiences reject one or the other instinctively), but Spielberg of course did it. What is more, he injected with his characteristic suspense and sense of dramatic adventure into the passage of a Constitutional Amendment by the lower Chamber in Congress. If that doesn't convince you that this man is a wonderfully gifted storyteller, I don't know what will. For anyone willing to sit down without needing to see explosions or far-away lands, and not in need of instant gratification, Lincoln is a veritable treat and without a doubt one of my favorite Spielberg movies of all time.

2. Schindler's List (1993)

When Schindler's List became the most-well reviewed movie of the year, and the only one to win all the critics groups and Oscar precursor awards (still the only movie to ever do that), it was clear that the Academy would have no choice but to recognize Spielberg at long last. What is it about him, one wonders, that they hate so much? That he achieved such stunning and unparalleled success at such a young age? Perhaps, but, in any event, Schindler's List is likely the most deserving of his films for this type of recognition, so the Academy got at least this right.

The story is beautiful and horrific at the same time. The best part of it is that Spielberg hits all the right emotional tones in this one while avoiding the emotional triteness of some of his other serious movies, like the otherwise masterful Saving Private Ryan (another head-scratching Best Picture loser, even if it netted Spielberg a deserved second Oscar) and even the compelling Munich. The cinematography is spectacular, the editing impeccable, and the scoring (again) superb. Indeed, his frequent collaborators (Janusz Kaminski, Michael Kahn, and John Williams, respectively) each won deserved Oscars and should be recognized here as part of the reason why Spielberg has been able to make such visually and aurally stunning and touching movies throughout his career.

And those talents are all on display with a vengeance in this movie. The stunning use of the color red in key scenes, the haunting crescendo score, the slow and deliberate editing. Of course, the entire finished product - thoughtful, deep, and engaging - is a harrowing and heart-wrenching but somehow uplifting reward.

Spielberg finds a hero in the most improbable situation. Indeed, Spielberg's heroes, particularly like Oskar Schindler, are mostly thrust into the quandaries they face unwittingly. They are brave not necessarily by nature but by the force of their convictions. They do the right thing against all odds and triumph in the most clichéd but also truthful of ways. Perhaps a reflection of the director himself, of his never-ending youthful spirit (displayed in another goodie, Hook), or of his impish view of the world, these heroes are all, after all, simple men, but men we can only aspire to be like.

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